A Vacation At Last
by Snowcouger
Summary: They've needed a vacation for so long. Enjoy the random silliness that insues.
1. Chapter 1

"Well, this is certainly different."

"Yeah. Big change from back home."

"Gotta love the ocean breeze. I love the warmth. Such a nice change from the cold and rain."

Streak of white blazes past.

Kiba smiles. Akamaru had been miserable lately; couped up inside all the time with no room to run around.

Naruto, ever the spaz, grabbed Kiba's wrist. "Let's go swimming!"

Kiba laughed and allowed himself to be dragged into the surf.

It was lateafternoon before Kiba managed to drag himself up out of the water. Naruto had been teaching him how to body surf. Kiba had loved it so much, once he got the hang of it anyway, that he hadn't realized just how draining it could be. He leaned down and picked up a fluffy towel. "Damn Naruto," he said as he dried his hair, "How can you still have any energy left?"

Naruto was drying off a few feet away. "Come on Kiba! You can't tell me you're already tired!"

Kiba plopped down onto one of the beach chairs, reached for a bottle of water, and drank deeply. He looked up at Naruto and burped. "You should know by now that I don't have as much energy as you do."

Naruto sat down on the other chair. Akamaru ran up, shook off a mound of sand that had accumulated in his fur, and sat down at Naruto's feet. Naruto looked down and smiled, "I thought you didn't like me Akamaru."

Akamaru tilted his head and barked, "I never hated you. I just didn't like you very much after that stunt you pulled at the Chunnin Exams."

Kiba laughed and Naruto sighed. "I really wish i had a clue what he just said." Kiba laughed harder and Akamaru smiled. "One day you might..." they agreed.

"Yeah right. Like I'd ever be able to learn that mess of barks and grunts and junk you call a language."

"It's not that hard. You just have to work at it. Once you get the basics down the rest is easy."

"Whatever." Naruto sighed. "Anyway..."

Moment of silence.

A warm breeze.

Gulls dove into the waves, hunting fish.

"Ahhhhhh," Naruto sighed contently. "Much better than home..."

Kiba nodded. "Much better than home..."

"I'm hungry," said Naruto as they finished up a game of volleyball. "You guys hungry yet?"

Kiba and Akamaru nodded.

"'kay. Help me with the wood." Naruto pointed to a pile of drift wood logs that had accumulated a few hundred feet from where the boys were camping out. They gathered a few armfulls of wood anf then went back to get 1 of the very large logs. Naruto piled the wood into a fire pit they had dug earlier in the day. "Now," he said as he looked around for the box of matches they had brought along, "Where did i leave those matches..." They searched for a few minutes but couldn't find them. "Oh well," said Naruto as he returned to the side of the fire pit. "Guess I'll have to lite it without matches." Series of handsigns. "Kanton!" Naruto spat flames onto the drift wood, which caught fire very quickly. "Thank you fire juitsu!"

"So..." said Kiba after Naruto's little pyro display had ended, "What's for dinner?"

"No clue. Let's see..." He reached for the cooler full of food. "Hmmm...steak, chicken...umm...corn...and...looks like potatoes. Sweet."

"Very." Agreed Kiba.

Naruto waited until there was a good bed of coals forming before he tossed the grill plate onto the fire. He waited about 5 more mintues for the grill to heat up and then tossed a few steaks and some chicken on. Soon enough the evening air was filled with the smell of grilling meats.

"Oh man that smells good!"

"Yeah. Good think Choji isn't here. He'd be going insane right now." Naruto flipped the steaks. "Look at those perfect grill marks!" Naruto took alot of pride in his ability to grill. It was one of his specialties and everyone knew it.

Kiba just drooled in response.

Naruto moved the steaks toward the outside edge of the grill to finish cooking. He grabbed two foil wrapped ears of corn and potatoes and placed them around the center of the grill. He put one more steak in the center, intenting to only sear the outside and warm it through. That one was for Akamaru. He waited a about 2 minutes and flipped the center steak. 2 more minutes and he took it off, put it on a plate and placed it on the table Kiba had just set up. Akamaru jumped up and with a bark of thanks dug into his dinner. Naruto turned the veggies and the chicken. 5 minutes later he took everything off anf put it on one giant platter. He took it to the table and set it down. Kiba grabbed the drinks and sat down, handing a soda over to Naruto. With a word of thanks he grabbed his food and dug in. Naruto smiled and and grabbed his food. They ate in silence, enjoying each other company without having to say a word.

Some time later.

"Hey Naruto," said Kiba as he leaned back and sighed contently.

"Yes," belched Naruto.

"You have got to teach me how to grill like that..."

Naruto nodded. "This summer, 'kay?"

"'kay." He sighed again. "Best day ever?"

"Best day ever..."

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	2. Kiba Wins At Last

It was Naruto that woke up first the next morning. He stretched contently and sighed. He could feel a very heavy Akamaru curled up on his lap. He smiled and glanced over at a sleeping Kiba.

Akamaru blinked sleepily and looked up at Naruto. He wagged his tail happily. Naruto smiled and patted the dog's head. Kiba laughed and they both jumped. They hadn't realized he had woken up.

"Whats for breakfast?"

"Leftover's and eggs."

"Anything to snack on?"

"Yeah, there some of the chicken I cooked last night left."

"Toss me a piece."

Naruto tossed a small piece to the hungry Inuzuka. "Don't snack too much. I'll have breakfast ready in just a few minutes."

Naruto gently picked up Akamaru and placed him on the cool soft sand.

He stood up and walked over to the fire pit. He stoaked the embers back to life and tossed some kindling on them. They caught and Naruto fed the newly revived fire untill is was once again healthy and happy. He motioned to Kiba and the two of them went to a very large log of driftwood. They hauled it back and shoved it onto the fire. "There we go, that should last a while."

Kiba was impressed. "You've learned a lot in the last few years."

"I guess," yawned the blonde. He moved some of the coals toward the side of the pit and flattened them. He tossed the grill plate and a griddle onto the coals. He tossed a couple of steaks on the grill. "How do you want your eggs?"

"Doens't matter as long as their cooked."

"Scrambled okay?"

"Yeah."

Naruto flipped the steaks and grabbed a couple of eggs. He cracked them onto the griddle and scrambled them. He pushed the steaks to the side of the grill to keep warm untill the eggs were ready. "Should've waited a few more minutes. The griddle wasn't hot enough."

Kiba shrugged.

"There we go..." Naruto shoveled the eggs onto a platter and tossed the steaks on top. "Here we go..." He turned to were Akamaru had resumed his chase of the seagulls. "Akamaru! Breakfast is ready!" Akamaru jumped up and ran over. Kiba gave him a steak and grabbed his own. Naruto dished out the eggs. "Let's eat!"

"I'm serious..." Kiba said after they finished eating. "All food is better the morning after."

"Just like pizza..."

"Exactly."

Kiba got up and walked over to were the forgotten volleyball lay. "Wanna play another game?"

"Only if you're ready to get your butt kicked again."

Kiba tossed the volleyball at Naruto.

Naruto tosses a cold potato at Kiba.

Random chaos ensues.

Much flinging of sand.

Akamaru somehow ends up buried up to his neck in the sand.

More flinging of sand.

A cloud of sand is thrown up.

Dead quiet as the cloud settles.

Naruto appears, buried up to his waist in sand.

Kiba is next, also buried, only he's in up to his elbows.

Akamaru manages to dig himself out. He shakes the sand out from around his eyes and spots Naruto. Growling, the angry dog headbuts Naruto from behind. Too bad for the little guy that what he headbutted wasn't Naruto but a log that the blonde had used the substitution juitsu on. Ouch.

Poof!

Kiba swears.

Naruto appears, standing on Kiba's head, laughing hysterically.

Kiba struggles in vain to free and arm.

Naruto leaps from Kiba's head to the log and grins. "You still can't beat me!"

More swears.

More hysterical laughter.

Another poof!

Kiba jumps onto Naruto back and drags him onto the sand.

"What the hell?!?"

"Gotcha!" yelled Kiba trumphantly.

"I..but you...how did you...you're over there...but how...?!?"

"You not the only on good at transformations and substitutions!" laughed Kiba.

A final poof! and Akamaru appears where Naruto had thought he had buried Kiba.

"What the hell!?!?"

"Don't like having other people use your tricks, do ya?"

"I...but how... how did you..."

"Learned that from you at the Chunnin exams." He let go of Naruto and stood up. "Looks like I'm better than you at one thing at least."

Naruto stood up in shock. "I don't...but how..." He glared at Kiba who just continued to laugh. "Well, I can't be the best all the time ya know. Don't get cocky! You just got lucky! Believe it!"

"You wish!"

"Whatever! I'll get you next time!"

"Yeah right!"

"You know its true. I will beat you next time!"

Akamaru snuck up and finally got to headbut the real Naruto.

Naruto flew head first into the sand. Akamaru sat on his back and grinned evily. "I feel better," he barked.

Kiba grabs the Volleyball again. "Get off him Akamaru. Let's play already."

Akamaru jumps down and Naruto stands up, shakes off, mutters incoherantly for a minute, then joins them in a game of volleyball.

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	3. New Ability

Few hours and a few 10's of thousands of calories worked off later...

"Sun's going down..." panted a very tired Kiba.

"Yeah..." sighed Naruto.

"Better get the fire ready for dinner..."

"Uh-huh..."

"You gunna do it, or should I?'

"Uh-huh..."

"What?"

"Huh?"

"Who's gunna get the fire going again?"

"Huh? Oh...that..." Naruto stood up. "I'll get it." He walked over to the fire pit. Repeating the same ritual as before he got the fire going again. They ate leftovers once again.

"I hope the other's are bringing more food, we're gunna run out soon."

"Yeah. You know Choji will bring a months worth of food for himself."

"Prolly."

"Hey, have you heard that rumor about Neji that's been floating around lately?"

"What rumor?"

Kiba grinned. "One of the academy students say that he saw Neji one night at the training field with a guitar."

"What! Are you serious? Neji with a guitar?"

"I'm serious. That's what the kid's been going around saying anyway. No one's been able to confirm it though because Neji left on a mission the next day and the kid was alone when he saw him."

"Dude, that's gotta be a joke. Can you honestly see Neji as a guitar player?"

Kiba smiled. "At first no, but when you think about it, it could happen."

"Does Hinata know anything about this?"

"Nope. She says that she doesn't, but she could be covering for him."

"Yeah, but what for? It's not like it's some dark little secret or something. I mean come on; most of us know how to play some kind of instrument, even if we're not very good."

"Oh yeah? What instrument do you play?"

Kiba blushed slightly. "I well...I don't really know...how to...that is...I um..."

"Piano." barked Akamaru.

"You're kidding! You play the piano? How come i've never heard you..." His eyes got wide.

Kiba and Akamaru stared at him. "You understood that?!?" barked Akamaru in shock.

"I think I did? You said 'piano', right?"

Kiba stared at him, "How did you understand that???"

"I don't know! I couldn't before!" Naruto started freaking out a little.

"Whoa...this is weird. How can you just suddenly understand what he's saying if you couldn't before?"

"I don't know? This is freaking me out."

"Maybe you've been living with us for so long that you've picked up on the language..." offered Akamaru lamely.

"I think I would have noticed something earlier!"

"Weird..." said Kiba. "Maybe you've been learning it unconciously for a while now and it took getting nailed on the head to realize it?"

They all laughed. "That was the lamest idea I've ever heard. Stop trying to be a psychologist, you're not very good at it."

"I guess..." muttered Kiba.

"Wow. Kiba with hurt pride. There's something I never thought I'd see." Naruto laughed, the insanity of being able to suddenly understand Akamaru forgotten.

"Crab!" barked Akamaru as he ran off to chase the creature by the firelight.

"Man Naruto, you're starting to rub off on Akamaru. He's turning into a spaz like you."

"Haha, very funny. You know that all dog's are natural spazzes."

"They are not! Only retreivers and spaniels...and the occassional collie...and maybe a shepard or two... Anyway, Akamaru's never been this spazzy before."

"How do you know its me and not just that he's been stuck inside for the last 3 months? How do you know he just didn't go a little crazy?"

"He's been stuck inside for months before and never gone spazzy like this."

"But he has gone spazzy before?"

"Once, but he was sick when it happened so that doesn't count."

"Uh-huh."

"Oh what would you know! It's not like you've ever had a dog before. And even if you had it's not like you understand how one thinks or why he acts like he does."

Naruto frowned. "Well, i guess thats true. I never have had a dog before. But that wasn't for not wanting one. I've always wanted a dog, but I was never allowed to have one, or any pet for that matter."

"Why not? You'd think the least they could do was let you have a pet."

"They didn't think i'd be able to take care of one. I was busy enough trying to get through school, and with no one around to watch him when i was away they decided that it was better for me not to have one. Now that I think about it, it was probably the for the best."

"I guess. I don't know what i'd do if I didn't have Akamaru. Hell, i don't even remember a time when Akamaru wasn't around."

"Lucky. You've always had a friend around. Sometimes I wonder what it would have been like if I'd had someone when i was a kid. Would a made life a lot more bearable."

Silence.

Akamaru rushed past, intent on catching a gull that had snatched the crab he had been chasing.

"Now there's a distraction if i've ever seen one," muttered Kiba quietly.

"Huh?"

"Nothing. Nevermind."

"Whatever." He looked at his watch. "Say, weren't the other supposed to get here before now?"

"I don't know, what time is it?"

"About 9:15 or so."

"Hey yeah, they were supposed to be here at like 7."

"Huh? Wonder where they are..."

"Check your phone, maybe they called and you didn't notice."

"Where is my phone for that matter?" He ran to his backpack and dug around for a minute. "Speak of the devil," he said as he pulled out his ringing phone.

He answered...

"Hello?"

"Finally! Where have you been? We've been trying to get a hold of you two for nearly an hour already."

"Sorry Sakura. We couldn't hear the phones."

"What use are they if you can't hear them? They're not gunna do you any good if ya can't hear them."

"I know, i know. Where are you guys? You were supposed to be here already."

"We had some trouble before we left. Neji was late showing up and we almost left Choji behind because we couldn't get him out of the BBQ place. Shikamaru basically forced us to drag him out of there and bring him along before he would leave."

Naruto stifled a laugh. "Sounds like a lot of fun. When are you guys gunna get here?"

"Not sure yet. We're still debating whether or not to find a place to stay for the night or just keep going."

"How far away are ya'll?"

"About an hour's drive at least. We had to stop to let Choji eat before he drove us insane and to let Neji get some coffee before he fell asleep driving."

"What, ya'll forced Neji to drive the whole way or what?"

"No, we didn't have any choice. Only Neji and Kiba know the way there. I keep telling him that one of us would drive the rest of the way if he'd just write down the directions, but he won't listen. You know how Neji is."

"Yeah, he's almost as stubborn as I am."

"Almost? He's just as bad as you."

"Whatever..."

"Yeah, so anyway...we'll prolly be there in about 2 hours or so. If not well find a place to stay and be there tommarow morning."

"Okay. Call me back when you decide."

"Will do. Talk to you then. Bye."

"Bye."

"Looks like it's gunna be at least another 2 hours before they get here. That's if they even do tonight. They might just find a place to stay and come in the morning. Sakura's gunna call me back when they decide."

"Okay...Prolly should have given someone other than Neji Directions on how to get here."

"Yeah. He being his stubborn ol' self and refusing to tell anyone else how to get here."

"That's Neji for ya. Always has to do everything himself."

"Yep."

"Might as well get everything set up, just in case they do show up."

"Yeah, that's prolly best."

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	4. Chaos On The Road

"Watch out Neji!!!"

"Crap!!!" He swearved and bearly missed the deer that had jumped onto the road. He pulled over and tryied to catch his breathe.

"Damn it...Neji! ...Can we please...get there...without dieing???"

"I'm sorry."

"Neji, you're done." Said Sakura firmly. "Let someone else drive before you fall asleep and kill us."

"I can make it, i just need more coffee."

"You idiot. You've already had 5 cups in the last hour. It's not enough. You get back here and rest. Now! I'll drive the rest of the way."

"But..."

"No buts!" She opened the got out and opened the driver's side door. "Out!"

Neji didn't move. Bad idea.

Sakura grabs him by the shirt and litterally tears him out of the seat while somehow managing not to tear the seat belts. She hauls Neji over and basically throws him into the back seat. "Now, you tell me where to go from here and then go to sleep! And no more coffee!"

Neji stares at her, dazed from the impact of his head on the far door. "Ok-k-kay Sakura." He gives her the directions.

Everyone else sits in silence. 'This chicks crazy,' thought Shikamaru sadly. Chouji pused for a second when Sakura threw Neji in, but then resumed his incesent snacking. Good think Hinata was sound asleep or else the poor girl would have prolly had a heart attack. Shino was quiet as always. In fact, no one knew if he was asleep or not, as he hadn't said a word, or moved for that matter, for the better part of an hour. Ino, Sakura, and Tenten had been entertaining themselves by poking and prodding the poor guy earlier, but had grown bored of the game as they realized they had no hope of ever soliciting a response from him. Lee, ever the noble one, pulled the first-aide kit out from under his seat and offered Neji some asprin, knowing full well that he needed it. He'd been through enough of Sakura's tirades to know that Neji was going to need one or two bottles full before the night was over. "Here Neji. Take a few of these now, before the headache really sets in."

"Thanks." Neji sat up and took the bottle of asprin. He reached for his coffee but had his hand slepped away by Sakura. "Didn't I just tell you no more coffee???" Neji bleached and muttered a very quiet sorry before taking a bottle of water that Lee was offering him.

Sakura restarted the car and drove off.

Ring

Ring

Ring

"Why do you have that ancient ringtone?" asked Kiba as Naruto dove for his phone.

"Hello?"

"Naruto, we're almost there."

"What? I thought Sakaru said ya'll were gunna find a place to spend the night."

"We had planned on it, but Neji refused to stay in some motel when we were only an hour away."

"That's Neji for ya, stubborn as on oxe."

"Yes well, that stubborness had earned him a massive headache and a rather large bruise on his head."

"Lemme guess, Sakura went on a tirade again?"

"Unfortunatly. Ah well, at least it wasn't me this time."

"Got that right Lee. Last time she went off on you we had to drag you're uncounsious body all the way to the hospital."

"Don't remind me. I still have no clue what that fight was about. Or much else about that week for that matter."

"Yeah...So anyway...How far out are ya'll?"

"Not sure exactly. Still driving throught forest if thats any indication."

"At least 20 minutes then. Okay then, we'll see ya'll when you get here."

"Yeah, see you then."

"So yeah, they're at least 20 minutes away."

"They didn't stop?"

"Naw. Neji was being his usual stubborn self and wouldn't stop."

"That's Neji for ya..."

"You should have asked themif Neji had brought a guitar," laughed Kiba.

"Oh my god I should have! Do you think Lee would have gotten the joke?"

"Lee's the one that first told me! Dude, call him back and ask him!"

"Naw, let's just wait until they get here."

Kiba sighed. "I guess..."

Tenten gently shook Neji, trying to wake him up. "Neji...hey Neji...wake up Neji..." She looked up at Sakura. "No good. He's out like a light."

"Great. He's asleep and we're lost."

"Call Naruto."

"No Lee. I'm not going to call Naruto. How could he help us? It's not like anyone can remember where we made the wrong turn."

"That doesn't mean he can't help us. If not Naruto then Kiba could. He knows the area better anyway."

"No. We'll just turn around and try to get back to the main road."

Shikamaru sighed.

"What was that Shikamaru?"

"Nothing Sakura."

"That's what I thought."

_'Bossy jerk..he thought._

"I heard that Shikamaru..."

Shikamaru ducked as Sakura tossed an empty coffee cup at his head.

"What a drag..." he muttered from under the seat.

"Sakura, they're right. You should call and ask for some help. These roads go on for miles and I really don't want to get anymore lost than we already are."

"Oh for the love of... Alright! Call Kiba if you must."

Tenten sighed and dialed Kiba's number.

"Oh what now?" He answered his phone. "What?"

"Kiba, we got lost."

"Oh for crying out loud Tenten. How could ya'll get lost? Is Sakura driving or what?"

"I heard that Dog-Boy!!!!" yelled Sakura at the phone, loud enough to wake both Neji and Akamaru, who had been sound asleep.

Shifting the phone to her good ear Tenten continued, "Yes actually, she is."

Kiba sighed. "Okay then...were are you?"

"No clue. And no one remembers where we took the wrong turn."

"Backtrack?"

"That's what Sakura want's to do."

"Nevermind then." He thinks for a second. "What's the forest look like? Is it still super dense? Are the tree's still really tall, or are they getting shorter? Any signs, strange rock formations, any kind of landmark?"

"We passed a mile marker about a mile back."

"What it say?"

"75 mile east."

"Okay I know where ya'll are. You're not lost. You actually want to be on that road, but you weren't supposed to get on it for another 10 miles or so.Just drive untill you see the 95 mile marker and take the next right. That'll get you back on track."

"Okay. Thanks Kiba. See ya in a little while."

"See ya."

"They got lost?"

"Yep."

"Gotta love Sakura. She can revive someone at the brink of death, but she can't follow street directions to save her own life."

"Right? It's kind of sad when you think about it."

"Yeah, just a little."

"Now...where were we?"

"Got any three's..."

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	5. Alive and Well

"Finally," sighed Sakura as she spotted the campfire.

"Yay. I really need to stretch right now."

"You and the rest of us."

"Ughhh...Never again...No more 8 hour car rides. Next time, we take more vehicles."

"Oh yeah. Next time we need more cars. There's no way i'm ever spending this much time in one van with 8 people ever again."

"Got that right."

"Quit your belly-aching already. At least we're finally here."

"Got any three's?"

"You already asked me that."

"Did I?"

"Yes."

"Huh. Weird. I could have sworn that I hadn't."

"You did."

"'Kay then." He looked down at his phone. "Shouldn't they be here by now?"

"Time?"

"10-ish."

"Yes. Got any five's?"

"Go fish."

"Damn it..." 

"You hear that?" He looked behind him.

"Huh? Naw. I don't hear anything."

"I could'a sworn i heard someting..."

Headlights flash over the top of a dune.

"Huh? Guess you were right Kiba."

"Thank you. Seven's?"

"Damn it." Naruto hand's Kiba three seven's.

"Gimme your two's."

"Go fish."

"Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr."

"Six's."

"Sunofa." Hands him three six's.

Kiba lays down his hand. "I win."

"Damn it!"

"Close, but no cigar."

"Baka."

Kiba sticks out his tounge. Naruto stands up quickly and walks over to where the other's had parked. Kiba follows.

"Took ya'll long enough!" 

"Quiet Naruto." Warns Tenten. "I just finally got Neji to sleep. Keep it down."

"Sorry..."

"Come on over here everyone. We've got the tents and stuff set up, and there's some food left over if you're hungry."

"Let's get this stuff out first," advises Sakura.

"We can do it in the morning," yawns Shikamaru.

Sakura glares. Shikamaru disapears quickly.

"Okay... What's up with Sakura?" Kiba asks Tenten quietly.

"She's angry for some reason. First she snapped on Neji, then turned to Shikamaru. No clue why though."

"Great. As if she's not bad enough in a good mood."

Tenten nods. "Hey, help me with Neji, he's heavy."

"Sure." He slides under Neji's Arm and the two of them half drag the semi-counsious guy to one of the tents. "Never seen Neji that tired before," he commented after they had returned to the van.

"Yeah, I think its the caffine wearing off. He's had something like 15 cups since lunch."

"Damn. I'd can bearly hand 2 before i get loopy and do stupid stuff. How the hell can anyone drink 15 cups of coffee in one day and not die of a caffine overdose?"

Tenten shrugged. "I don't know, but he does it. He normally drinks 2 cups before he leaves in the morning and I know he drinks another 2 when he comes home. I think he's building up a tolorance to it."

"Prolly."

"He you two! We could use some help!"

"Comming!"

20 minutes later...

"Finally."

"I didn't think it would take that long."

"Well, we're short two pairs of hands with Hinata and Neji asleep."

"True, but with Kiba and Naruto we balance out."

"Yeah, but who packed everything?"

"Neji and Hinata."

"And who's not here to unpack?"

"Neji and Hinata..."

"And who know how everyhting was packed?"

"Lay off him already Sakura. Be glad Temari sin't here. Se might think you're flirting with her man."

"Shut up Ino!"

"She has a point Sakura. You rag on Shikamaru so much that someone could take it as flirting."

"How is that flirting?"

"I don't know. Some poeple flirt like that."

"Yeah, and I don't think Lee would like it if you were flirting with another guy."

"Stay out of this Naruto! Not like you care. At least I'm with someone!"

Tenten and Ino gasped. Naruto had bleached and was now slowly turning very red. He focused on his feet.

"Low blow Sakura...low blow..." muttered Ino. Tenten moved over next to Naruto. "Naruto?" He turned away, trying to hide a tear that was trying to escape. "Hey, j-just because I don't have a-a...girlfirend...doesn't m-mean I couldn't...I just d-don't want one right now is all." He started walking away quickly.

"Good going Sakura," said Tenten scathingly. Everyone knew that Naruto was sensitive when it came to dating. He was weird like that. You could rip one him about everyhting under the sun, but when you brought up dating and all the junk, he'd lose it at the drop of a hat. Occassionally he would get asked why it's such a sensitive topic with him, but he'd always avoid answering. In fact, he'd actually told about 5 people why, and had sworn them to secrecy after. Tenten was one of those people. She ran after him, knowing that he needed a sympathetic ear right now.

Kiba watched as Naruto walked away quickly, followed close behind be Tenten. "Uh-oh. Sakura must have opened her big mouth." He sighed and went back to helping Shikamaru set up the tents they had brought. His thought dwelled on Naruto. He felt bad for the guy. After the last time he'd seen Naruto running away, tear's in his eyes, he'd cornered Tenten, knowing full well that she knew what the hell was wrong with the blonde, and tryed to make her tell him what was wrong. They may still ahve been fighting all the time, but that didn't mean that he didn't care. Tenten had refused to tell him anything, saying that Naruto had made her swear not to tell anyone, but he was adament in his demand to know. It took him a few weeks, but he had finally managed to get her to tell him. _'Poor kid...' _He still thought of him as 'kid,' even though they were already in their 20's. Some thing's never change I guess. If Naruto had been older insted of younger than him it might be different, but he wasn't so Kiba continued to think of him as 'kid.'


	6. What's Wrong With Naruto

"Naruto!"

"What Tenten?" He wouldn't look at her.

She could tell he was crying when his voice nearly cracked. That, and you could see where his tear's were falling on the sand. She reached out and tryied to hug him, but he pulled away at the touch. "Naruto, you know she didn't mean anything by what she said."

"I know, but it still hurt." He turned around to face her. "I'm not sure how much longer I can take this. I don't know how much longer I can go before I finally lose it.

"Then tell them! If they're really you're friends then they won't care!"

"But I have told them. Well, a few anyway. You know who know's, right?"

"Yeah. Shikamaru, Hinata, and Neji. I knew the second you told Hinata because she ran to my house and cried for 3 hours. I was tempted to find you and punch you for about a minute, but I knew better."

"I know. I heard from Neji about it the next day. He threatened to beat the daylights out of me if I didn't tell him what happened."

"Yeah, I knew that you had told Neji when he can home angry with me and accused me of keeping secrets from him."

"Sorry about that by the way."

"Ehhh, it's okay. After I explained why i hadn't told him he was okay with it."

"Yeah. I'm surprised that he didn't start acting different around me. He was one of the one's I was worried about."

"Hehehe. Neji's alot more caring and accepting of people than he seems."

"Yeah. I'm really glad that he is too. It's nice to have someone other than Shikamaru to talk to about it."

"Oh god. I cannot imagin having only Shikamaru to talk to about anything. That i'd be horrible."

"Don't rag on him. He's a good listener, even if he is a lazy bum most of the time. Anyway, he owes me for getting Gaara to hook him and Temari up." He sighed. "I'm worried. One of these days it going to slip out and then what? What if you're wrong and they hate me? I don't think I could handle losing anyone again."

"You worry too much Naruto. They won't hate you, trust me. They might be in shock for a few days, but they'll get over it."

"That's what you said last time..."

"You have to stop thinking about that. It was almost 6 years ago. You have to let it go."

"What if I can't? What I have to carry that around with me for the rest of my life."

"It's not your fault he left!!! That bastard chose to leave. Nothing you did or said would have changed that and you know it! Stop blaming yourself for what the bastard Sasuke did!!!"

"Yes it is! If I hadn't have told him..."

Tenten slapped him.

"...What was that for?!?!"

"It's not your fault he left damn it! How many time do we have to tell you that??? Nothing you could have said or done would have changed his mind. He was already too far gone to save."

"But If I had only..."

"But nothing! You did everyhting you could and should be proud of that. At least you had the courage to try. That no good pink-hair brat Sakura supposedly worshipped him but when he was in his hour of need did nothing. She stood there and watched him fade away. Blame her if you're looking want a scapegoat."

Naruto sighed heavily. "I don't care if it was my fault or not anymore. He's gone and that's all there is too it. I'm still going to feel like it's my fault no matter what you or anyone does or says."

"Damn it Naruto, you can't save everyone, no matter how bad you want too. One day you're going ot have to learn that."

"Whatever..."

She tried to hug him again, and this time was sucessfull. "Naruto, you know im always there for you. Remeber that."

"I know Tenten. I don't know what I'd do without you."

"Come on," she said as she pulled away, "Let's go back."

Naruto wiped his eyes. "Okay."

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	7. Around the Campfire

"Are you guy's finished yet?" asked Sakura sleepily. "I'd like to go to sleep tonight."

"Oh come on Sakura, it's only midnight. Grow up already."

"I don't care if it's only midnight. I need sleep."

"Yes. We're done. Now leave us alone already."

Sakura waved him off and ducked into the tent. Shikamaru and Choji sighed with relief. "I don't knwo what's been up with her lately," Shikamaru complained as they walked over to were everyone else was, "but it's starting to get anaoying. I don't know how Lee put's up with her."

"Right? She's worse than Ino."

"Much worse."

They sat down on the logs that Kiba and Naruto had aranged around the fire. "What are we gunna do about Sakura. She's getting out of hand."

"Just ingore her."

"Easy enough for you Kiba. You don't have to deal with her on a daily basis."

"Hey, you wanted a desk job. If you had stayed on a combat team you wouldn't have to deal with her often."

"Yeah, accept I'd be doing mission's with her."

"Okay you too; enough about Sakura."

Naruto sighed. "Give her a break. She's been through a lot lately."

"No more than the rest of us."

"Thats what you think..." he muttered under his breath.

"What was that?"

"Nothing. Nevermind. Don't worry about it."

"You're doing it again Naruto."

"Am i? I didn't notice."

Akamaru just happened to chose that second to jump up out of nowhere and land on Naruto's head. Too bad he landed a bit to far forward and knocked his poor victim aff the log. "Damf If Afamarughf! Stfoff foinph", he spits out a mouthful of sand, "that." (Translation: Damn It Akamaru! Stop Doing That!)

Kiba hands him a bottle of water to rinse his mouth out with and grab Akamaru. "No more sugar for you before bed."

"Arf Arf"

"Yes I'm serious. No more sugar before bed."

"Bark Arf Arf"

"You want to go to bed right now?"

"..."

"That's what I thought. Now behave."

Growl.

"What was that?"

Akamaru walks away.

"You want breakfast?"

Akamaru turns around with a shocked look on his face. "Arf???"

"You know I will."

"Arf bark arf arf!!"

"1"

Akamaru froze.

"2"

Akamaru guns it to their tent.

Kiba sighsand shakes his head. "And he was doing so earlier..."

Naruto has a smile on his face. He's the only other one that had any idea what was just said. "You know he was just playing."

"Yeah, but the last time he did that, he nearly broke my neck. He's just too big to do that anymore."

"Yeah, but it's not like he could hurt me that easily."

"I know; but I still have to punish him anyway."

"Lighten up on the guy Kiba. He might listen more if ya did."

Kiba was tempted to say something ot the effect of 'What do you know about dogs?' but kept his mouth shut. The last thing Naruto needed right now was another blow like that.

"So anyway..."

Choji's stomach growls.

"Damn Choji. Are you ever not hungry?"

"What? I can't help it and you know it. I have to eat alot to keep my strength up."

"Yeah, but don't you think you're over doing it just a bit?"

Choji stuck his tounge out and grabbed another bag of snacks.

"Okay so anyway..."

Shikamaru yawned.

"My thought's exactly," muttered Ino. "Come on Choji, let's go to bed."

"But I'm not..." was all he got out before Ino grabbed him by the collar and draged him to thier tent.

"Poor guy..." muttered Shikamaru.

Naruto laughed. "Come on Shikamaru. You'd be in the same boat if Temari had come."

"True, but she had a mission. Actually, I wanted her come come with us. Too bad she couldn't miss anymore work."

"Yeah," agreed NAruto. "It would have been nice to have them here. Gaara could use the vacation more than us."

"Yeah, and Konkurou was complaining the whole way back from the wave country about how lucky we all are for getting a week off."

"Speaking of Gaara and Konkurou; what is it with Gaara always requesting you to work with Konkurou?" asked Shikamaru.

"Is he asking for me again? Damn it this is getting annoying. I mean I like Konkurou and all; he's a good friend, but this is getting ridiculous. I swear he's trying to hook me up with Konkurou."

"Doesn't Konkurou have a girlfriend?"

"Not anymore. He did for a while there, but they broke up a few month's ago."

"If he had a girlfriend, then why would Gaara try to hook you and him up?"

"Cause Gaara hated that bitch. She was an evil little bugger. I have no idea what the hell Konkurou saw in her."

"So he'd rather have his brother dating a guy?"

"Gaara's weird like that..."

"Yeah, you of all poeple would know..."

"Huh?" muttered Kiba, confused.

"Don't ask...long story..."

"It's Gaara's style to request poeple he want's to hook up to go on mission's together. I'm mean think about it; that's how he got me and Temari together finally. He sent us on some uber long mission so that we'd have to spend time together outside of work."

Kiba thought about it. He blushed slightly as he said, "Naruto, remind me to turn down any request from Gaara to do a mission with Konkurou last more than like 4 days."

Laughed he replied, "Okay Kiba."

Shikamaru yawned again. "Well, I think I'm gunna turn in too. See ya'll in the morning"

"See ya."

Shikamaru walked away; yawning yet again.

"Who's he sleeping with again?"

"I thought he was bunking with you two."

"He is?" Naruto looked at Kiba. "How come no one told me that?"

"Calm down Naruto. He's not bunking with us. He was supposed to bunk with Hinata, but then she bowed out. So he's got a tent to himself."

"Huh? Well, he's lucky I guess. Although the two to a tent rule is nice."

"Yeah, especially when you're with your boyfriend..." Tenten muttered quietly. "Oops," she blushed slightly, knowing that Naruto could hear her. "Sorry Naruto."

Naruto focused on his feet.

"Tenten!" yawned a very sleepy Neji from their tent. "When are you coming to bed?"

She turned around. "In a minute Neji..."

Neji nodded and ducked back inside.

"Well, I'd better get ready for bed. See you two in the morning."

"G'night Tenten."

She stood up and walked to he tent.

"Lucky..." muttered Naruto when she was out of earshot.

"Come on Naruto. It's time for us to get ot bed too. We have a long day ahead of us."

"Yeah, yeah. I'll be in in a minute."

"Okay."

Kiba left, walking stifly from sitting for so long.

Naruto tossed a bucket of sand over the fire, snuffing it out. Now the only light's where a few lamps that they other's had brought. He waited a minute untill they were put out and walked a little way from the camp. He looked for the kunia he had used as a marker. Finding it exactly where he had left it, he dug into the sound until he found the blanket he had buried. He shook the excess sand off and laid it down on a flat patch of dune. He lay down and stared at the stars, a habit he had picked up sometime during the last few years. He started picking out his favorite conselations, another habit he'd picked up realatively recently. He had become a bit of an amature astonomist over the years. He liked stargazing; it gave him something to do on those long nights when he couldn't sleep. He would have stayed ther all night if not for Kiba calling for him about 10 minutes later.

"Naruto! Where'd you go?"

"Damn it Kiba..." he muttered as he reburied the blanket and set the kunai back in it's place. "Couldn't you have gone to sleep without me tonight. I was really hoping for some decent stargazing tonight..." He walked around the dune, hoping to pop up near or even behind Kiba. Luckily, his plan worked and he came up behind the worried dog-boy. "What Kiba?"

Kiba jumped and turned around. "Where'd you come from?"

"You walked right past me a second ago. I can't believe you didn't see me."

"Must have been in a shadow. Anyway, my night vision isn't as good as yours is. Where'd you go anyway?"

"Nowhere, I just needed to walk a little to loosen up my muscles."

"Okay. Come on. We should get back."

"Yeah." He followed Kiba back to camp.

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	8. Fun Before Breakfast

A bright morning sunrise shines in throught the open tent flap, waking Naruto. _'Damn...morning already...'_ He turned over and tried to go back to sleep, hoping for just a few more minutes before the always energetic morning person that he was sharing his tent with woke up. Tch...no luck. Kiba had woken up at the same time as Naruto. He tunred over and shook Naruto shoulder. "Wake up sleepy head..." Naruto groaned and pulled his blanket over his head. "Come on Naruto. Wake up already." Naruto tried to ignore him. Kiba pulled himself up onto his knees. Akamaru grunted, stood up and walked over to the otherside of the tent, knowing full well what was about to happen. Kiba popped his wrists, cracked his fingers, and reached for the blanket covering Naruto's head. "Come on lazy-butt," he gripped the edge of the blanket tightly, "...get..." he gave the blanket a mighty pull, "...up!" Naruto tumbled back to the ground and rolled. He opened his eye's and growled, "Kiba! Too early in the morning! Let me sleep!" Kiba laughed, "No way you bugger. Get up and enjoy this beautiful morning!" He grabbed Naruto's ankles and dragged him out of the tent. "Damn it Kiba!" grumbles Naruto, angry that Kiba had basically forced him to wake up yet again. "I swear to god I'm going to kill you..." Kiba tosses him a bottle of cold water. "No you won't. Go make yourself a cup of coffee and you'll feel better." Naruto tossed the bottle back at Kiba, aiming for the brunette's head. Kiba ducked easily and trotted off to get the fire going again. Naruto sighed and walked back into the tent to change and hopefully grab a few more minutes of sleep before everyone else woke up.

"Humph..." muttered Tenten as she opened her eyes. "Huh?" She sheilded her eyes from the bright morning sun. "Damn, morning already..." She heard Neji shift around next to her. She yawned and slowly pulled herself up. She walked out of the tent. "What's going on guys?" She asked, eyeing Kiba and Naruto. They had gotten into another wrestling match.

"Bastard woke me up again."

"Hey, you where already awake. I just made you get up."

Open handed slap.

Weak kick to the gut.

"Stop it you too..." said Tenten halfheartedly. "Can't you wait untill after breakfast to start killing each other."

"Right?" barked Akamaru from on top of one of the log-bench things.

"Whatever..." muttered Naruto as he let go of Kiba's hair and walked away.

"Okay... Moody much?"

"He get's like that in the morning."

"Huh? Everytime I've ever seen him he's always been happy-go-lucky already."

"Yeah, well, you've never seen him when he's just woken up. That prolly the only time you'll ever see him moody."

"I guess...Any particular reason why?"

"Naw, he's just like that. You kind of get used to it after awhile."

"Weird..."

Kiba shrugged and lit the fire again. "Neji awake yet?"

"Nope, and I plan on letting him sleep. Poor guy was up for nearly 20 hours yesterday. And with Sakura on a tirade again it was that much worse."

"What the hell is her problem anyway?"

"I don't know. She's been weird ever since Sasuke."

"Yeah, that's about the time I noticed it too. Is anyone even sure that's why? I mean, for the way she had been acting then it doesn't really make sense."

"Don't I know it. I heard all about it from everyone. Ugh, sometime's I hate being the sympathetic ear for everyone."

"No you don't. Just for Sakura and Ino."

"True. Those two never shut up. I swear, every time Ino comes over I'm stuck listening to her complain for hours. Damn Choji's learned to dissapear when she's in one of her mood's and so she runs to me. I remeber one time I wasn't there so she cornered Neji. Poor guy got stuck listening to her complain about Sakura for 4 hours. He was swearing up and down that he would kill her if she ever tryied it again."

"I prolly would have."

"Ehhh...I'm too nice to ever hurt her...much..."

Kiba laughed, "I'm not. Not by a long shot. I'd beat the living day-light's outa her."

"That's cause you're a boy. Girl's tend to be less violent..."

Kiba nearly bust a gut laughing. Tenten was laughing hysterically a moment later too.

"You wish girl's where less violent! Have you ever seen Ino and Sakura fight???"

"Not since the Chunnin exams. And I really wouldn't want to be on the recieving end of a blow from that psychotic nutcase Sakura."

"Me neither. I'd rather take on Naruto with my hands and feet tied behind my back."

"Ditto..."

"Speaking of Naruto...Where's the little bugger go now?"

"I don't know. I didn't see which way he went."

"Huh? That's the second time he's dissapeard since we've gotten here. I wonder where he keep's going..."

Shikamaru walked outof his tent and yawned. "What's going on now?"

"Morning Shikamaru. Nothing, just killing time."

"Whatever...what's for breakfast?"

"Dunno. We got leftovers to snack on for now. We're gunna wait untill some more of ya'll wake up before making breakfast."

Shikamaru yawned for what was prolly the 10th time that morning and ducked back into his tent to get dressed.

"Have you ever seen Shikamaru go 10 minutes without yawning?" asked Kiba jokingly.

"Never... He almost made it once, but he yawned just as he reached 10 minutes."

"You've timed him?"

"Yeah, once. It was at some stupid meeting for something or other. I was bored and couldn't fall asleep so I timed the space inbetween his yawns."

"Damn, that had to have been one boring meeting."

"Oh yeah...it was that bad."

"Well I sure and hell don't envy you. I'd hate to have one of those damn desk jobs."

"I'm getting ready to ask for a transfer to a combat team. This desk job is driving me insane."

"I'll bet."

Sniff Sniff

"What?"

"Choji just woke up," said Kiba offhandedly. "I can smell the sour cream and onion chips he likes."

"So glad i'm not on his team. I'd go insane from watching him eat all the time."

"Why do you think I won't let Akamaru stay with him. Last time I left him alone with Choji he came home stuffed full of junk food. Poor little guy was so sick that he was stuck in bed for a week."

They could hear Choji snacking already.

"...No i shouldn't..."

"Shouldn't what?"

"It's mean..."

"Like I care... What is it?"

"Ino does this to piss him off. Whisper the name of any of his favorite food's really, really quietly in his direction and watch him freak out."

"Wtf? Ino does that? Dude seriously, that's not nice. She's his girlfriend for crying out loud."

"I know right. See why i hate her so much?"

"Yeah." He smiled. "Damn it, now i want to try it."

"I disavow any knowledge of this. Continue at your own risk. I'm gunna go see what Neji want's for breakfast." She walked away smiling, knowing full well that Kiba would try it.

Kiba grinned evilly. _'Should i, or shouldn't i? That is the question...'_ He smirked and said, "sour cream and onion potato chips," as quietly as he could.

"WHERE!?!?!?!" Yelled Choji as he ran out of the tent.

Kiba fell over laughing. He pointed at on of the bag's full of snacks that they had brought. Choji ran like a man possesed and tore through it. Luckily for Kiba there really was a bag of chips in there. If there hadn't have been Choji prolly would have murdered him.

Munching happily Choji asked, "So Kiba, what's fo breakfast?"

Kiba practically died laughing.

"Ino stuck her head out of the tent and saw Kiba on the ground dieing of lack of oxygen from laughing so hard. "KIBA!!!!!!!!!!!" She ran out and stopped just short of running over him. "Don't you ever do that again!!!"

"But why... not...Ino...It was...halarious!"

"Because..." she said, bearly containing her anger, "If I ever catch you doing it again I WILL hurt you. Badly. As in stuck in the hospital for week on end in a coma badly."

"Lighten...up...Ino...I was...just having...some fun..."

She glared at hime. Kiba gulped under the intensety of the glare and stopped laughing.

"Calk down...Ino..." said Choji between mouthfulls, "Lighten up."

She glared at Choji who promptly shut up.

_'Eesh, between you and Sakura it's no wonder everyone is edgy...'_ thought Kiba, now agitated at the abrupt ending to his fun.

"Yeah so anyway..." said Choji, showing off his somewhat short attention span, "What's for breakfast?"

"I don't know yet. We're gunna dicide when everyone wakes up."

"Awwwwwww but I'm hungry..." he complained as he stuffed another handfull of chips into his mouth.

"OMG Choji! You're eating right now! How can you be hungry???"

"This is just a snack. I want to know when my real breakfast is."

"Glutton..." muttered Kiba.

"What was that dog-boy?" asked Ino.

"Nothing Ino..." He looked around. "So anyway...ya'll go get dressed and whatever. I'm gunna go look for Naruto."

"Come one Choji," said Ino as she dragged him yet again into their tent.

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I know, I'm sorry. Kiba hadn't sounded as spazzy in my head. And Naruto hadn't sounded as depressed either. Huh... guess I still need to work on having my character actually be IN character. Yeah so anyway... sorry for lack of updates. I haven't had alot of time to write lately what with class and everything. And I lost my notebook with all my stories and stuff in it so I'm playing catch up again. Anyway... some reviews would be much like, since i haven't gotten any up to this point.


	9. Searching For Naruto

"Naruto! Where are you?!" called Kiba as he wondered over the dunes. He climbed to the top of one, hoping for a better vantage point. He cupped his hand around his mouth and called out again, "Naruto! Where'd you go?!" He lookeed aorund and listened. "Damn it Naruto..." he muttered under his breath, "...where'd you get to this time."

-----------------

Naruto sat at the base of a dune, watching the waves as they crashed against the shore. He'd woken up in a rather foul mood, and Kiba's cheerfullness didn't help. He sighed deeply and watched a crab scurry across a driftwood log.

-----------------

"Naruto!!!" called Kiba yet again. He had climbed down from the dune and was walking toward shore, thinking that Naruto might be there. "Come on Naruto. I know you can hear me! Answer damn it!" He climbed over aa half burried driftwood log and stepped out onto the shoreline. "Naruto! Come on now! Where are you!!!"

-----------------

"...Naruto!!..." he heard faintly. "What was that?" he muttered, listening. "...Come on Naruto! Answer me already!..." Naruto blinked, "That sound's like Kiba." He stood up and walked along the shore for a few seconds. The call got louder as he moved, so he knew he was going the right way. "...Seriously Naruto! Answer me!!..." Naruto walked a little faster, knowing he was catching up to Kiba. "Kiba!" he yelled back.

-----------------

"...Kiba!..." heared the brunette as he searched. "Finally..." he muttered as he turned around. He could see Naruto jogging to meet him. "Where have you been? We were starting to get worried about you."

"Sorry," apologized Naruto. "I needed a few minute to myself."

"You could have told us where you where going ya know."

"I know, I know. I'm sorry. I just woke up in a foul mood and didn't really want to talk to anyone."

"I've noticed. What's been with you lately? You've been really moddy the last few months."

"It's nothing, really. I've just been kinda stressed, thats all."

"Yeah, that excuse may work for Shikamaru or Choji, but it isnt going to work for me. Come on now Naruto, what's wrong?"

"Just don't worry about it, okay? It's nothing really."

"Damn it Naruto. Don't you shut me out. Somethings wrong with you. I can smell the fear and anxiety on you. Tell me what's wrong so i can help you."

_'Damn that nose of his...'_ "Kiba I...it's just that...I..." He blushed slightly, "...I...well...kinda...maybe have a..." he choked.

"Have a what Naruto?"

_'A crush on you ya moron' he thought. _ "...I have a...a...c-c-crush on someone..." he muttered silently.

Kiba stared at him, dumbfounded. "You. Have a crush. On someone?"

Naruto nodded, blushing.

"And this is why you've been all moody and sad and blah for the last few months?"

Nod.

Kiba blinked. "Well then, who's your crush?"

_'OMG He's so clueless!' _

"Someone I know?" asked Kiba when he got no reply.

"Maybe. You probably know him..." Naruto gasped and slammed his hands over his mouth.

_"Him?"_ Kiba's eyes widened. "You have a crush on a guy???"

Naruto blushed so red he could make a brick look white.

_'Score!' thought Kiba trumphantly. 'I may just have a shot after all!'_ "So what your saying," he said, as calmly as he could muter over the party in his head, "Is that you have a crush on a guy. From our village."

Naruto nodded.

"Who?"

_"You ya moron!!!" _"That's really none of your business," Naruto muttered quietly, so tempted to scream that it was him.

"I never pegged you for being into guys," he lied, having always suspected that Naruto was gay.

"Am I that obvious?" asked Naruto, since it was pretty clear that Kiba had just lied.

"No, not really. Well, not to a noiraml person anyway. Shikamaru kinda figures that you are, and I really coubt that Ten-ten doesn't know. Am I right?"

"Yeah, Shikamaru figured it out years ago and I told Ten-ten long ago. Why do you think they're the only ones I ever go to when I need to talk?"

"Ah well, whatever. I don't care what you are. It's all good."

Naruto blinked. "Seriously? You don't mind?"

"Naw, why would I?"

"I don't know. I just thought that it might make you uncomfortable. Ya know, having me as a roomate and all."

_"Damn, and he prolly thinks im clueless one..." _"Nope, not at all."

Naruto sighed, relieved.

"So, who's your crush?"

"Um...well...He's...he's..." Naruto stammered out, scared of saying more.

Kiba luaghed heartily. "It's me isn't it?"

Naruto went from brick red to white as a sheet faster than you could blink an eye.

"Come on Naruto, if it was anyone else you would have told me before. I'm not that stupid."

Naruto fell back, unable to suport his wn weight anymore. He sat on the warm sand and stared at Kiba's feet, unable to look his friend in the eyes.

Kiba sat down in front of Naruto. "It's okay Naruto. Calm down before you start hyperventilating."

"Your not...your not...weirded out by this?" asked Naruto, his voice shaking.

Kiba got up on his knees and moved closer to Naruto. "Does this answer your question?" he asked as he kissed the idiot blonde.

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	10. Let's Go Back

Naruto sat dumbfounded. _"OMFG! Is he really kissing me?!?!"_ Naruto sat motionless for a few moments before regaining control of his body. He reached up and put his arm around Kiba's shoulder's, pulling him closer.

They kissed untill both had to stop for air, lest they suffocate.

"You have...no idea..."Kiba huffed..." Just...how long... I've wanted to do that."

Naruto nodded. "Same...here..."

"Why didn't you say anything sooner," asked Kiba as he took Naruto's hand.

"I was scared," answered Naruto. "I didn't think you liked me."

"Baka. You can't tell me you haven't noticed me flirting with you before."

Naruto blushed. "Well, I kinda did, but i was never sure. I mean come on, we've been best friends for so long that I wasn't sure if it was you flirting or just being really friendly."

"You really are baka Naruto."

"Hey, cut me some slack here. I have zero experience when it comes to dating, remember?"

"Thats true enough." He smiled. "So...are you going to tell the others?"

Naruto looked shocked. "No way!!! OMG I don't even want to think about how the others would react!"

"Shikamaru and Ten-ten didn't have a problem."

"Yeah, but Shikamaru is to lazy to care and Ten-ten is cool like that. Choji might not have a problem, but I'm worried more about the girls and Neji. You know Sakura and Ino would freak, and it would break poor Hinata's heart. I mean come on, even I know she likes me."

"Not to mention Gaara's sibling's. Temari would prolly never speak to you again, and Konkurou would prolly start hitting on you."

"So would Gaara..." muttered Naruto under his breath, once again forgetting Kiba's sense of hearing.

"Gaara??? Seriously?!? Gaara is... No way!"

Naurto nodded. "He told me a few years ago. that's why he won't even consider any of the girls that ask him out."

"Wow. If i had know there were so many of us out there I prolly would have spoken up sooner."

"Ehhh, not me. I've know about them forver, but it didn't make me want to come out anymore than I do. Which isn't really all the much."

"Why? You ashamed or something?"

"Hell no! I'm not ashamed of what I am! I just don't want to give the village another excuse to hate me. Well, hate me more than they already do."

"They don't hate you Naruto. In fact, most of the village likes you well enough now. I really don't think they'd mind all that much."

"Easy for you to say. You're not the one they've been wishing a slow and painful death on for 17 years."

Kiba sighed. "I guess your right." He glanced down at his watch. "Come on Naruto," he said as he stood up. "We'd better get back before they start to worry even more."

"Alrighty," Said Naruto as he stood up.

They made their way back to camp both trying not to grab the others hand just in case they ran into anyone before they got back.

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	11. Back at Camp

They made it most of the way back to camp before running into Shikamaru.

"There you are...' he muttered. "They were staring to get worried about you two..."

"So they sent you?" asked Naruto, amazed.

"Yeah..." he sighed. "It was a drag...but i'd rather do this than listen to Ino yell at Choji..."

"They fighting again?"

"Ino is, as usual. Choji just keeps opening more bags of food and ignoring her."

"Poor guy..." muttered Kiba.

"So..." said Shikamaru, finally noticing the smile in Naruto's eyes, "I see you two had a chance to talk..." understanding full well what had happened.

Naruto smiled.

Kiba grinned.

Shikamaru sighed, "Took ya long enough..."

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"We're back!" said Kiba as the three of them entered camp. "Miss us?"

No one heard them, as Ino started yelling just as the word's left Kiba's mouth.

Loud Screaming...

Kiba slams his hands over his ears. Supersensitive hearing. Ouch.

More Loud screaming...

Stuff I won't repeat...

Choji doesn't even blink as he stuff's another handfull of food into his mouth...

The volleyball flys at Ino's head. It makes contact and promtly nocks her unconcious...

Everyone stares in the the direction the ball came from...

Neji sits on the log...

He watches everyone watch him with the same calm look on his face...

Kiba's ears stop hurting enough for him to put his hands down...

Neji continues watching, waiting for someone to speak...

Everyone turns and looks around at each other...

Shrugs all around...

Choji picks Ino up and takes her back into their tent...

Everyone blinks...

"So..."

"Anyway..."

"Thanks Neji by the way..."

Neji nodded.

"Well, this has been an interesting morning so far..."

"What made her finally crack?"

"I don't know," answered Choji as he exited the tent. "She's been exploding like that for days now."

"How do you put up with her?"

"It's not that hard when you tune her out most of the time."

"Okay..."

"So..."

"Feeling better Naruto?" asks Shikamaru, yawning to hide a smile.

"Yep. I'm all better now."

"That's good," said Tenten, also knowing full well what happened.

Lee looked around, confused. "OKay...Would someone kindly explain what I just missed?" Even he could sense a shared secret.

Kiba smiled and Naruto shook his head.

Tenten glanced at Naruto, silently asking his permission.

Naurto shrugged. _No point now...Just tell him..._

Tenten grabbed Lee's shoulder and led him away from the group...

Whispers...

Lee's head jerks back in surprise...

He glances over his shoulder at Naruto and Kiba...

More whispers...

They come back...

Naruto focuses on his feet...

Lee shrugs... "Well, that was certinly enlightening."

Naruto looks up, surpirsed that Lee didn't say something else.

Kiba laughed.

"Naruto, " began Lee, "I am not bothered by who you want to date. You are still my friend no matter what."

Naruto felt relieved. "Thanks for that Lee."

Lee nodded.

Neji stands up. "So...is anyone going to fill me in?"

"Oh, like she hasn't already told you," responded Kiba.

Neji just stared.

"She hasn't told you? Has she?"

He shook his head.

"Oh..."

"So...?"

"Oh for the love of...Kiba and I are dating," said Naruto, exasperated.

Kiba stared at Naruto, "I thought you weren't going to tell anyone?"

Naruto blinked, "Neither did I untill I had said it."

"Whatever..." muttered Neji.

Sakura had to pick her jaw up off the floor. "You two...you're...seriously...you're...for real...you're dating???" 

Nods of agreement.

"But I..but how...since..."

"About 10 minutes ago..." muttered Naruto, now back in embarassment mode.

"Oh...okay...Ummmm were Lee, Neji and I the only ones that had no idea you're..."

"I kinda knew..." muttered Neji, "...and I'm surprised that Lee didn't, seeing as how he and Naruto are such good friends."

All eyes on Naruto...

"I hadn't told anyone but Tenten and Shikamaru that I'm...I'm...gay...untill just a few minutes ago..."

"Wait, if you had only told Tenten and Shikamaru, then how did Kiba know?"

"I didn't. Well, untill I went looking for him. He kinda stuttered it out on accident."

"Ummm...okay...So how long have you too..."

"...Liked each other?"

Sakura nodded.

"...Since the Chunnin exams..."

"Before that..." muttered Naruto.

"Well," corrected Kiba, "I wasn't sure untill the Chunnin exams. I guess I've liked him since back at the academy."

"Well then... to each his own i guess..." said Sakura, clearly uncomfortable.

Naruto frowned. He had expected that from Sakura.

"So anyway..." said Tenten. "Are we ever going to get breakfast started or what?"

_"Thank you Tenten, you always know just what to say to break up an akward moment."_ Naruto smiled and grabbed his gear. "I think we can get started now..."

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	12. Ino Explodes

"What I want to know..." whispered Sakura to Lee,"...is how they've lived together for so long and not known. I mean, come on, you should have noticed something like that after awhile."

"You would think that...," responded Lee, "...but think of this. You have known Naruto for many years, yet you did not know. It is not always so easy for one to figure that out about another."

"I guess..."

---------------------------------------

Most of the conversations that day had a similar theme...

Choji was just about the only one not talking about it, electing insted to snack all day par usual.

--------------------------------------

"Why is it..." asked Neji quietly, "...that you never told me? I thought we had agreed on no more secrets?"

"Because, this really didn't involve you. Yes, you do have to work with Naruto sometimes, but would it have really mattered if you knew or not? Should it even matter?"

"It doesn't. I just would have liked to have been told."

"Neji, if he hadn't even told Kiba, what makes you think he'd want you to know? Seriously, if he hadn't told his best friend yet then you would have had no business knowing."

"He told you."

"Yes, but thats because he trsuts that I won't tell anyone anything we talk about."

"Well then, I guess his faith is well placed."

Tenten smiled.

--------------------------------------

Naruto and Kiba sat together; separated from the group somewhat. They didn't say much, insted watched the others talk, both knowing they were the focus of the discussions.

"You'd think they'd wait untill we'd gotten home to start talking wbout us..."

"Right," agreed Naruto.

"Ah well..." he sighed "...at least you know they don't hate you."

"Yeah...but I doubt Sakura is ever going to be able to look at me the same way again. And Ino dosen't even know yet."

"Oh man...not looking forward to that."

"Nor are the others." He sighed. "I just hope they have enough sense not to blut it out when she wakes up."

Kiba nodded.

"NEJI HYYUGA!!! I"M GOING TO KILL YOU!!!" yelled Ino as she shredded her tent.

"Speaking of the devil..." grumbled Naruto.

Groans all around...

Ino stomps out of the remains of her tent.

Poof!

Cloud of smoke...

Neji dissapeared...

"Smart man..." said Kiba under his breath.

Roar of anger from Ino...

More groans from everyone...

_"Great, now we're stuck with the angry devil spawn..."_

Shikamaru looks around. _"Where's that damn volleyball..."_

Ino storms over to Tenten. "Where did he go!!!"

Calmly, "I don't know Ino. Why don't you go and look for him?"

Clunk...

Thud...

Ino falls over...

The group blinks...

Shikamaru yawns and walks off. He had tossed a water bottle at Ino's head.

_"Thank you Shikamaru..."_

Everyone turned and looked at Choji. He just continued to snack.

"Seriously Choji, how do you do it?"

"Do..." munch "...what?"

"Deal with her??? It's unreal."

"It's not..."munch"...that hard..."munch"...once you get..." munch"...used to it."

Blank stares...

"Choji..."

"...You really do..."

"...Deserve alot better than Ino..."

"...If you can put up with that..."

Choji just munched away.

------------------------------------------------


	13. Surfing Lessons

After Breakfast...

"Seriously, where did the volleyball go..." muttered Shikamaru as he searched.

"Since when do you even play volleyball?"

"I used to be pretty good when I was a kid, but I haven't played in forever."

"Uh-huh...anyway..."

"Want? Don't want to risk getting beaten by the shurker Kiba?"

"Oh please. Like you could ever beat me."

"Want to test your theory?"

"Bring it on!"

Sakura and Naruto just shook their head's.

-------------------------------

Hour later...

"Told you..." pant"...that I'd win..."panted Shikamaru.

Kiba just glared.

Naruto tossed everyone water. Shino walked out of his tent. He was the last one to wake up.

"Hey Shino," said Kiba.

Shino waved.

"Looks like everyone but Ino is conscious now."

"Let's keep it that way..." muttered Neji.

Shikamaru nodded.

"So anyway..."

Akamaru runs past, barking at gulls again.

"I swear, you people have turned my dog into a spaz..."

"It's Naruto's fault he's a spaz," corrected Shikamaru, "I only made him lazy."

"Same difference."

Shikamaru just yawned.

----------------------------------------

That afternoon...

Sakura and Tenten were enjoying the first bit of uninterrupted sunbathing all year. Neji had brought a frisbee and was spending his afternoon playing with Akamaru. Choji sta and watched mostly, content to snack. Kiba, Naruto, Shikamaru, and Lee were surfing, or at least trying too. Kiba, and Naruto where teaching Shikamaru and Lee how to surf more than actually surfing. It turned out that Shino was a seashell collector and was currently off beach combing.

"Come on Lee! This isn't that hard!"

"Easy for you to say," he retorted as he jumped to keep his head above an incoming wave, "You swim better than I can."

"Oh please, this water isn't even that deep."

"For me it is."

Kiba sighed and looked out toward where Naruto and Shikamaru where. Shikamaru, unlike Lee, was a gifted swimmer and also happened to be a decent enough surfer. He was learning faster than Kiba had anyway. Naruto had already taking him far out into the deeper water where the best waves where. "Lucky..." muttered Kiba as Lee started floundering for the 10th time.

---------------------------------------------

It was another hour or so before Kiba finally gave up. He dragged an exhusted and panting Lee up onto shore. "Work on your swimming skills. Then we'll talk about surfing lessons again."

Lee nodded and panted.

Naruto and Shikamaru decided to call it a day too.

"Good work Shikamaru."

"Thanks Naruto."

"Lucky..." muttered Kiba under his breath.

Tenten turns over. "What time is it?"

"About..." munch..." 10 to 7..." said Choji between bites of food.

Tenten leaned over and shook Sakura gently. "Come on girl, time to quit sunbathing."

Sakura yawned and sat up. "I know, I know."

The girls got up and went to change.

"So," said Choji, "Whats for dinner?"

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	14. Neji's Guitar and MiniConcert

I don't own the lyrics to Dare You To Move, tis a Switchfoot song.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

They goofed off for awhile longer before Naruto made dinner, much to the delight of Choji who loved it when Naruto grilled.

"My god Naruto," sighed Choji contently after dinner, "You have got to teach me how to grill like that."

"Get in line, everyone wants grilling lessons from me."

"It's no wonder. You grill better than anyone i've ever known."

"I guess..."

A shadow decended across the camp as the sun dipped below the dunes.

"Man, sunset already..."

"Still sets early this time of year..."

"Yep..." sighed a contented Choji.

--------------------------------------------------------

They sat around the fire for awhile later, talking, goofing off, really enjoying themselves.

Neji stood up and streached. "Be back in a second..." He went to his tent.

Naruto and Kiba glanced at each other and smiled.

"Couldn't be..."

"It could..."

"No way..."

"Has ta be..."

"There's no way..."

"We'll see in a minute..."

"Whatever..."

"What are you two babbling about?"

"Nothing Sakura, nothing at all."

Sakura was unconvinced. "What are you two hiding now?"

"Nothing really, we'll see when Neji gets back."

"Okay...?"

As if on cue Neji returns. "What's going on?"

_"Damn, he's not carrying anything..."_ Naruto sighed.

Neji slid a strap off his shoulder and placed a case down on the sand.

_"Spoke too soon!"_

Similar thought crossed Kiba's mind.

"What's that Neji?" asked Naruto as innocently as possible.

Neji didn't respond, insted he flipped the case open.

It took all that Naruto and Kiba had not to laugh.

Sakura and Lee just watched, having no clue what was going on.

Neji pulled out a guitar.

Kiba, Naruto, and Choji bust out laughing.

"OMG it's true! He does have a guitar!"

Neji blinked, surprised by their actions.

"Sorry Neji, its not you that we're laughing at, really."

"What is it then?"

"Just a little shared joke is all."

"About me and my guitar?"

Naruto blushed slightly. "Sorta..."

"And this joke is?"

"It more of a rumor we had heard..."

"Rumor?" 

"Yeah. Some academy kid said he had seen you one night practicing with your guitar. We all thought he was joking untill now."

"This is funny why?"

"Well...it's just kind of hard to imagin you playing a guitar untill you see it."

"Okay?"

Akward silence...

"Anyway..." muttered Neji as he stared tuning.

_"This oughta be good..."_

"Now taking requests for songs. Anyone got anyhting they want me to play?"

Collective blinking and staring at each other.

"Ummm...You know any Switchfoot?"

"Yes actually."

"Dare You To Move?"

"I think so..." He played a few notes. "Yeah, I know it."

"Go for it..."

"Okay."

_"Welcome to the planet_

_welcome to existience_

_Everyone's here_

_Everybody's watching you now_

_Everybody waits for you now_

_What happens next?..."_

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	15. Time For Bed

Again I don't own any lyrics. Lyrics are to Beautiful Letdown by Switchfoot. (I like to think it would be Neji's theme song)

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The mini-concert continued on throught the night. Every so often someone would excuse him or herself and wonder to their tent, ready for some much needed sleep. By midnight the group had dwindled to just Naruto, Kiba, Tenten, and Neji.

Naurto was curled up next to Kiba, his head on the other's shoulder, with Kiba's arm around his waist. They listened to Neji play, amazed at the boys skill with a guitar.

_"We want more that this world's got to offer_

_We want more than the wwar's of our fathers_

_And everyhting screams for second life_

_We were ment to live for so much more_

_have we lost ourselves?_

_We were ment to live_

_We were ment to live"_

Kiba and Naruto clapped. "That was amazing Neji."

"Thank you." He yawned ans streched. "One more and I'm done for the night. Anything you guys want to hear?"

They thought for a minute. "Hmmmm..."

Tenten yawned.

Naruto snapped his fingers. "It's another Switchfoot song, but it's a good one."

"Which one?"

"Beautiful Letdown."

Neji smiled. "I've been wanting to play that all night..."

He took a drink of water and cleared his throat.

_"It was a beautiful letdown_

_when I crashed and burned_

_when I found myself alone, unknown and hurt._

_It was a beautiful letdown_

_the day I knew_

_that all the riches this world had to offer me_

_would never do._

_In a world full of bitter pain_

_and bitter doubt_

_I was trying so hard to fit in,_

_until I found out_

_I don't blong here_

_I don't belong here_

_I will carry a cross and a song_

_where I don't belong._

_It was a beautiful letdown_

_whe you found me here_

_and for once ina rare blue moon_

_I see everything clear_

_I'll be a beautiful letdown_

_thats what I'll forever be_

_and thought it might cost my soul_

_I'll sing for free_

_We still chasing our tails _

_and the rising sun_

_and our dark water planet_

_still spins in a race_

_where no one wins_

_and no one's one._

_I don't belong here_

_I don't belong here_

_I'm gunna set sight_

_and set sail for the kingdom come._

_Your kingdom come_

_Won't you let me down!_

_Let my foolish pride forever let me down._

_Easy living, you're not much like your name_

_Easy dying, you look just about the same._

_Would you please take me off your list?_

_Easy living, please come on and let me down._

_What a beautiful letdown_

_painfully uncool_

_To the church of the drop outs, the losers,_

_the sinners, the failures, and the fools._

_What a beautiful letdown_

_are we salt in the wound?_

_Let us sing one true tune."_

Neji put his guitar down and Naruto sighed. "I've always loved that song..."

Neji smiled and nodded, "Me too."

"Could be the theme song for your lives..." muttered Kiba sleepily.

"Prolly..." agreed Naruto, also yawning.

"I think..." said Neji as he packed up, "...It's time for bed." He smiled and glanced down at Tenten. She had falled asleep. He closed his guitar case and stood up. He leaned down and picked up Tenten, careful not to wake her. "Night boys."

"Night..."

"Come on Naruto, we should get to bed as well."

"Okay."

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	16. Rainy Night Sunny Morning

It rained that night...

"What the..." muttered a very sleepy Kiba as another drop of water fell on his head.

"Hmmmmph?"

"Sunofa!" he muttered when he unzipped the tent flap. "It's raining...damn..."

Naruto yawned, "Raining? It wasn't supposed to rain this week."

"I know. Damn it. I hate the weather sometimes..."

"Damn it!" yelled Ino from her tent. Choji and Ino had forgoten to bring a tarp so now they were getting soaked.

"Uh-oh. Looks like Poor Shikamaru's gunna have bunk-mates tonight. He's the only one with room."

"Poor guy. I would not want to be stuck with that psychotic chick tonight."

Kiba stood up andtook a step outside. Their tarp had turned into a rain collector and had filled to the point that it was draining over the sides. He lifted the center and drained the water off to one side, glad that they had piled sand under their tent so that it was higher than the surrounding area. He ducked back into their tent, shoulder's soaked. "Ugh, it's gunna be nasty out there in the morning at this rate."

Naruto just yawned. "Come back to bed. We can worry about it then."

Kiba plopped back down next to the blonde.

------------------------------------

The thunder started an hour later...

KABOOM

"WTF?!?" yelled Kiba as he jumped four feet in the air.

Naruto blinked sleepily and said groggily, "It's just thunder, calm down."

"I know it's just thunder," muttered Kiba, shakily and slightly embarased.

Naruto yawned again and turned over.

Kiba sat there for a second, waiting for his heart to stop racing. He lay back down and tried to go back to sleep, but unfortunatly for him, he was now wide awake. _"Great... Now what do I do..."_ Naruto snored peacefully next to him. _"Lucky..."_

------------------------------------------

_"Why me..."_ sighed Shikamaru as he listend to Ino snore. _"This is what I get for having a tent to myself..._"

-----------------------------------------

Tenten and Neji had no clue that it was storming. Both were sleeping peacefully.

----------------------------------------

Kiba sat there and watched Naruto sleep. He didn't have much else to do, what with Akamaru sleeping with Neji that night. He chuckeled at the thought, _"Who would have thought Neji was such a dog person..."_ He sighed again. "_It's gunna be a long night..."_

-----------------------------------------

Naruto yawned and turned over. He opened his eyes slightly and saw Kiba sitting up on the other side of the tent. "...Kiba...?"

Kiba startled and turned around. "Naruto?"

"Why are you all the way over there?"

"I didn't want to wake you up."

Naruto smiled. "I'd sleep better with you over here."

Kiba smiled and moved closer. "Better?"

Naruto nodded and closed his eyes again. He was snoring a minute later.

"_He's adorable when he sleeps..."_ thought Kiba happily.

------------------------------------------

And the routine continued through out that long night. Kiba would move around, Naruto would wake up a few minutes later, call him back, then go back to sleep. Kiba would move again and the cycle would repeat. Long way to spend a sleepless night...

---------------------------------------

Finally, after hours of a repeating cycle, Kiba gave up. He lay down next to his blonde kitsune and tryed, yet again, to go to sleep. The rain had tappered off, and the thunder had stopped. Kiba lay on his sleeping bag and stared at the ceiling of their tent. He lay there for nearly an hour before finally managing to slip into some semblance of unconsciousness. Next to him, Naruto smiled. _"Took him long enough..."_ thought the blonde before finally falling asleep for real.

--------------------------------------

The rain stopped a few minutes later...

------------------------------------

Bright sunshine streamed in throught the tent door. It was Kiba's turn to dread the morning. Naruto shook his shoulder gently, "Wake up Kiba. It's morning."

"Mmmmmph...Just five more minutes Naru-kun..."

Naruto smiled. "Come on sleepy head. Get outta bed."

Kiba curled up and tried to ignore the oddly cheerful blonde.

Said cheerful blonde grabbed Kiba by the ankels and started pulling.

Kiba went limp and let himself be dragged.

Naruto stopped, surprised at the reaction.

Kiba opened one eyes and glanced at the blonde.

They stared...

Naruto smiled.

Kiba grinned.

They both laughed.

Role reversal much?

Kiba sat up. "Let's sleep in, just this once."

Naruto stuck his head outside and glonced at the other's tents. No one else was up. He ducked back in. "Oh what the hell..." he said as he sat down next to Kiba. "Might as well, no one else is up yet." Kiba sighed, relived, and snuggled up next to his blonde. "Thank you..."

They slept the morning away...

-----------------------------------


	17. After The Storm

They were the last ones to get up...

At least thats what everyone else thought. Naruto and Kiba had finally gotten up around noon, well after everyone else. Of course, they had stayed up all night, but they never told anyone that. Just was well, some of the other's had dirty minds, whether they admited it or not. Ino and Choji were drying out their stuff, which had gotten throughly soaked during the storm. Shino was no were to be seen, probably off beach combing again. Tenten and Neji were off on a walk. Sakura had resumed sunbathing, although she was already pretty tanned so she really didn't need to. "Ya'd think..." muttered Kiba as he munched on a sandwich,"...that she'd be a little more careful sunbathing, being a medical-nin and all. Everyone know's that too much sun causes cancer." Naruto shrugged, insted focusing on the frisbee that he had just sent whizzing for Akamaru to catch. "Wonder where Neji and Tenten are off too this time..." muttered Kiba as he looked around.

-------------------------------------------------------

Later that afternoon...

Choji's stomach growled loudly. He glanced around for his bag of snacks, but couldn't find them. He got up and walked over to where the food was kept and grabbed more. He went back and sat back down on his chair. Opening the bag he asked, "When's dinner?"

"Choji, its only 3PM. I'm not even gunna start cooking untill 4. You can go a little while longer with out food."

"Awwwww. But I'm hungry..." he complained.

"You have a bag of food in your hand Choji. You are not hungry. Stop asking about dinner already."

"But..."

"No but's Choji!" yelled Ino from next to him. "You need to go on a diet anyway."

Choji wimpered and shut up.

"Poor guy..." muttered Naruto as he shook him head.

-------------------------------------------------

Hour later...

Naruto had started dinner, much to Choji's delight. The gang had gathered around the fire-pit and where playing a game of blackjack. Neji and Tenten had finally gotten back a few minutes before and where currently kicking ass at the poker game. Kiba wasn't participaiting however, having decided to be Naruto's cooking assistant for the night. He really didn't know how to grill, but him being there kept Choji away so Naruto could concintraite. Well, that was the theory. Between the fire and having Kiba standing so close, Naruto was getting just a little flustered. It took him buring his hand to realize that he needed to take a step back and 'cool off'. Ice cold water poured over his head probably wasn't the best way to 'cool off', but it worked none-the-less. He managed not to burn any off the food, so it was worth it.

----------------------------------------------

After dark...

They spent that evening sitting around the fire again. Same deal as before, much story telling and random chit-chat. No one surprised then when Neji went to get his guitar. He played for awhile, much to everyone's enjoyment. He took a few requests, but not as many as the night before. By midnight the had all kinda of paired off, separated into little groups with their significant others. Poor Shino and Shikamaru where all alone however, what with Shino not dating and Temari not being there. Which throughly pissed off Shikamaru, well, everyone thought it did, for all they new Shikamaru was too lazy to care that he was surrounded by couples and alone. Shino, well, Shino wasn't all that into dating. Errr, they assumed that anyway. He never really said that per say, but then agian he never did say much anyway.

"Hey Kiba..." Naruto whispered.

"Yes Naru?"

"I just had a crazy thought..."

"What?"

"Shino and Konkurou..."

"Shino and Konkurou what?"

Naruto giggled, "Let's get Gaara to set up Shino and Konkurou..."

Kiba blinked, "Dude, I couldn;t do that to poor Shino. Thats just plain mean. Do try to set to poor guy up with Konkurou. And it not fair to Konkurou. You know how hard he's going to take it when I tell him im not single?"

"How do you know? For all we know Shino would appriciate it..."

"Oh please... I think I know Shino well enough to know if he'd want to be set up with someone."

"Okay okay, it was just a thought..."

Kiba punched him in the arm playfully. "You little moron..."

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Finally about 1AM they called it quits. Tenten had fallen asleep again, so Neji called it a night. Ino had to practically drag Choji to bed. He kept saying he wasn't tired, and that he wanted to stay up, but she wouldn't hear of it. Sakura was so sleepy that she had to lean on Lee's shoulder to walk to their tent. Shikamaru was snoring on his chair, and Shino had gone to bed earlier than the others. Naruto gazed up at the night sky and sighed. It was a perfect night for stargazing, but he knew Kiba wasn't going to let him wonder off again. He was tempted to just sneak out after Kiba had fallen asleep, but after last night he wasn't even sure Kiba was going to sleep. Kiba stood up, ready to go to their tent. "Come on Naru-kun, time for bed." Naruto hesitated; he really wanted to stargaze. "Whats wrong?" Naruto sighed again and stood up, "Nothing..."

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	18. And Then There Were Four

The next morning...

They all got up early, although they really didn't want to. Most of the group had to leave that afternoon; their vacation was up. The one's that had to leave rushed around camp trying to find things that had been scattered, or tryied to pack in a way that what had been soaked in the storm wasn't going to damage what wasn't. Finally about 1:30 or so in the afternoon they were ready. Ino, Choji, Sakura, Lee, Shikamaru, and Shino stood by the car, saying goodbyes.

"This was the most fun I've had in years!" said Sakura as she packed the last of her stuff.

"We really must do this agian," agreed Lee.

"Next summer defantly," said Kiba as he handed Shino his bag. "Shino, are you sure you want to go so soon? Your vacation isn't up for another week."

"Yes, well, I have plans for tommarow evening that I can't get out of, so I must be going."

Kiba shrugged and said, "Oh well."

Naruto slammed the tunk. "Ya'll are ready to go anytime."

Sakura jumped in the front seat and everyone else piled in. This was going to be a much less crowded trip, owing to two less passengers. "See ya'll in a week!," said Sakura as she closed her door and started the engine.

"Have a safe trip!" called Naruto waving.

Tenten and Neji waved goodbye to everyone and watched with Naruto and Kiba as they drove off.

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They looked around the now much smaller camp and sighed. "It seems so empty..." commented Tenten. Neji nodded, "Yes, It's going to be weird for the first night."

"Ehhhhh, you get used to it," said Kiba, who prefered the much smaller camp. Naruto nodded, agreeing wholeheartedly.

Akamaru wonder up and sat at Naruto's feet. "Yo, blonde-one, let's play frisbee!" he barked.

"I have a name Akamaru, maybe you could start using it sometime?"

"Sorry Naruto," he apologised. "Now let's play!"

Naruto sighed, shaking his head, before picking up the frisbee.

If Neji and Tenten thought any of that was strange they didn't comment.

"So anyway..." said Kiba as Naruto ran off with his dog,"...what do ya'll want to do?"

Tenten glanced over at the surfboards. "Hmmmmmm...well, i've always wanted to learn how to surf. How 'bout some lessons?"

Kiba grinned ear to ear. "Sure Tenten! How about you Neji?"

"Sorry Kiba, I already know how to surf." 

"That's great! You can help me teach her then."

"Okay," he said as he picked up the boards.

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Several hours later...

"You're doing fine!" yelled Kiba as Tenten tryied to stand on her board once again. She managed to get up for a minute before losing her balance. Neji caught her as she fell. "That's okay Tenten, you have to fall before you can ride." She glared at him. "I know that, I just can't figure out why I can't keep my balance. I usually have perfect balance." He chuckeled, a very un-Neji like expression. "Don't worry about it. It takes time to learn balance on a board, believe me I know. It took me nearly a month before I could even stand up. Think how fast you got it. All you need is patience." He thought for a moment. "Maybe a break would help. You're probably just tired is all. Let's grab some food and try again later." Tenten nodded. "You comming Kiba?" Kiba looked over. "Yeah, I'll follow ya in a few minutes. I want to get one more set in before I go back." They nodded and swam back to shore.

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So they ate and early dinner of roast chicken, Uzumki style.

"Naruto, You should write a cookbook. I serious, you have a real talent for grilling."

"Thanks Neji. That means alot comming from you."

"So Tenten, ready for another go? Or do you want to wait untill tommarow?"

Tenten rubbed her aching arms. "I think tommarow would be better. I hadn't realized just how hard I was working until I got out of the water."

"Okay then, tommarow it is."

Comfortable silence...

"So... Naruto... I've heard that your a bit of an amature astronomer. Is this true?"

Naruto looked at Neji. "Where'd you hear that?"

Neji grinned, "Shikamaru told me."

Naruto laughed, "Wonder where Shikamaru heard that..."

"So... is it true?"

"Maybe..."

Kiba glanced over at his boyfriend. "I never pegged you for the stargazing type."

"You never thought I was many things, but look at us now."

"True enough..."

"It looks like it's going to be the perfect night for a little startgazing, would you like to join me tonight?"

"Neji, your a startgazer?"

He nodded, "I like the peace and quiet of stargazing. It's a good time to stop and reflect on the day."

"I'd love too." he glanced at the others. "What about you two? Care to join us tonight?"

Tenten shrugged. "I'm game."

Kiba looked aorund. He really wasn't the type to stare at the stars, but he didn't want to be left out either. "Ehhhh, I guess."

"Sweet! I can finally get some time in!"

"Is that why you kept trying to sneak out at night?"

"Yes."

"Oh," Kiba scratched his head, "Why didn't you just say so?"

Naruto shrugged. "I don't know."

"Okay then..."

Neji stood up. "I'm going to get my telescope then. Be right back."

Naruto glanced at Tenten. "He brought a telescope?"

She stared back, confused too, "I guess?"

Confused blinking...

They stared at one another...

Laughter erupts...

It was going to be a great rest of the week...

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Okay everyone, sorry for lack of update. I was out of town all last week so I wasn't able to get anything done. This week isn't looking much better as its testing week so I'm going to be busy doing other thing. Sad thing is, I don't even test. I've got 3 days worth of Stats homework and quizes to catch up on so I'm going to be one busy bee.


	19. Stargazers

A/N: Right off the bat, I going to apologize to all you astronomers out there for anything I get wrong. I swear if i had acces to a star map I'd do a better job, but as it is i'm making this up off the top of my head. So if i confuse seasonal stars, constellations, mix up hemispheres, and everything else, I really am sorry. Feel free to correct me and I'll go back and fix the mistakes. Oh and I'm pretty sure that Saggitarius is only seen in the southern Hemisphere, but I'm going to use it anyway since thats my Zodiac sign and I feel like putting it in there.

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"And thats Orion, the hunter," pointed Naruto. "See the three stars in the center, the ones that look like they're in an almost perfect line?" Kiba nodded. "That's Orion's belt. Even though it looks like its made of three stars it not. The one that's slightly off is actually a nebula." Kiba nodded again, not really paying attention. Not that Naruto noticed, he was just happy to have some time to stargaze. Neji was a fair bit quieter, prefering to tie his stargazing with his meditation. "And that Alpha Centari," continued Naruto. "It's a trinary systemy. That means there's actually three stars, but the orbit too close together to see all of them. By the time the light gets here it's distored so that you can only see one really bright star insted of 2 slightly dimmer ones and the much dimmer red one." He looked around, "There's Polaris, otherwise known as the North Star. It's the only star that is truely reliable for navigation since it never moves from that point. Interesting side note, Polaris wasn't always the North Star. Something like twenty-three or twenty-four thousand years ago the star Virgo was the North Star. And twenty more thousand years from now it will be again." Kiba nodded and tried not to yawn. All this talk about stars and astronomical stuff was making him sleepy. He never really was one for stargazing. "Oh oh oh, there's Saggitarius, the Archer," pointed the hyper-blonde. Kiba just sighed and let Naruto work it all out of his system.

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"That was really fun!" said Naruto three hours later as they stood up and went back to camp. "We should do this more often!" Kiba silently groaned. All he wanted was his nice soft sleeping bag and some time to sleep. Naruto however, was wide awake and spent the next several hours asking Kiba what he thought about their little mini-lesson and randomly babbling about everything under the sun untill Kiba finally managed to tun him out long enough to fall asleep.

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When Kiba woke up in the morning Naruto was snoring blissfully. Kiba smiled and glanced out through the open tent-flap. The sun was just starting to peak over the horizon. He sighed contently and fell back asleep.

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Tenten and Neji were already up and about before either Naruto or Kiba had gotten up and dressed. Tenten was on the sand, practicing getting up on her surf board before she and Neji went out for another day of lessons. Kiba was still sleepy from the previous night so he elected to take a long nap inthe sun, under the guise of working on his tan. Of course he had already spent a few days working on it, but that didn't stop him from using it as an excuse. Naruto and Akamaru were more than enough entertainment together to keep themselves occupied for the day. Naruto would try to get Akamaru to play fetch, but the only thing the dog felt like doing today was chasing crabs, seagulls, pelicans, or anything else that moved. Naruto even resorted to tossing crabs around, but no luck, Akamaru wouldn't cooperate. Which really wasn't a problem, it was entertaining enough to see him dive in a hole only to emerge a few minutes later with a crab pinching him or a shell stuck on his nose.

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Kiba finally woke back up at about 3:30 that afternoon, fully refreshed and ready to hit the waves. Too bad for him the water was pretty much flat by then. There had been some decent surf before noon, but it had been slowly dying away since then. "Season's almost over," was all Naruto would say about it. "We might get one or two mornings with decent surf this week, but really it would be better just to wait untill winter for the waves to come back." Kiba sighed, "I guess this is what we get for waiting so long." Naruto nodded, "Yeah, it pretty late in the summer for there to be any real good swells. Ah well, it was fun while it lasted."

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	20. No Worries We're Just Home Early

AN: Okay I'm so sorry it's taken so long to get a new chapter out. It's been a living hell over here the last month or so and I just haven't had the time, engery, or idea's to finish this bugger. And I am ending it, finally. I had planned on making this 25 chapters, but I just don't have the time or energy to write that many more. And it seems like it's getting kinda stale. Might as well end it now while its still somewhat fresh and hasn't desintegrated into completely rundunant idiocy. Although if ya'll would like a completely random funny story, i'd be happy to make one for ya. I could use the distraction from all the ubber romance and angst that i've been writing alot of as of late. Oh and since I know most of you out there reading this have read or are currently reading Leaky Roof, i need your input. Make an actually ending chapter, expand on the one there already is, or leave it alone. I really can't decide what I should do with it so please, please! tell me what ya'll think/want.

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They pretty much gave up on surfing by the next day. It was obvious by the completely flat water that there was no hope left. "Since when is it possible to have a completely flat ocean???" quired Kiba, amazed and angry. The only response was a shrug of the shoulders from Neji. "Damn... with out the surf there's not a whole lot left ta do, is there?" Naruto yawned from the chair he was napping in. "Not really..." Kiba sighed. "We'd be better back home, wouldn't we?" "Ehhhhh...if the weather's cleared up then ya, if not then no." Kiba sat down and sighed again. "And I was really hoping to spend all of my vacation out here..." Akamaru walked up and sat in front of him. "Cheer up kiba. It's not all bad. You've had fun, haven't you? And you bagged yourself quiet a catch in Naruto too." Kiba and Naruto both smiled, grateful that Neji and Tenten had no clue what Akamaru had just barked. Tenten looked over to Naruto, "You never told me Naruto. Can you or can't you understand what Akamaru is saying?" He looked up over his shoulder, "Ehhhh most of the time I can...Sometimes I can't." Tenten blinked, "Well then, maybe you and Kiba have a chance after all." Laughter all around. "I don't care what they think anymore. I'm so sick of basing my happiness on what other poeple think. Let what will happen, happen." Neji's lips curled into an ever so slight smile. He had adopted that philosophy too. "Well anyway..." said Kiba as he stood back up, "...It's too late to leave now, so we might as well settle in for one more night." Naruto streched luxuriously and yawned, "I'll start on dinner in a little while."

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Another amazing dinner via Naruto marked the end of what was to be there last day the beach. The sun was setting and they settled into their places around the fire pit. It was still a bit warm to have the fire running so hot, but they didn't care. They were happy with everything as it was. It had been weird-ish at first for Naruto, setteling down next to Kiba, but now it was the only place in the world where he felt right at home. Amazing what a few days with no one around but your closest friends can do to a guy. They all sat around the fire, mostly staring into the dancing flames, which if you've never tried it, can be the most entertaining thing someone can do. Esspecially when you have an overactive imagination like Naruto. The occasional bark or yelp from Akamaru the spaz as he chased crabs was the only real distraction from their thoughts. The sun had just finished setting when Neji stood up without a word and went to his tent. Kiba and Naruto looked over at Tenten, who just stared back, then turned to look at the tent Neji had just dissapeared to. Kiba looked at Tenten and mouth the word, "Guitar?" Tenten shrugged and turned back to look at the tent. Neji emerged a minute later, carrying his guitar and something else they couldn't identify in the low light. Neji sat down and opened his guitar case. He'd placed the other object in Tenten's lap. She took one look at it and laughed. "You looking for a duet Neji?" Kiba and Naruto blinked, completely lost. Tenten opened the case to revile a flute. Kiba turned to Naruto who just stared back at him. "Ummmm... Since when do you play the flute Tenten?" She giggled, "Since I was about eight Kiba." Kiba blinked some more, still confused, "Oh. Alright." Naruto gave Kiba a look that said, '_Why did I expect this?'_ Kiba returned with, '_I don't know? They're your best friends."_ Naruto smiled and fought the urge to punch his boyfriend in the arm. They rest of the night was taken up by the most amazing duets they had ever heard. Tenten was as talented with a flute as she was with weapons, and being the weapons queen ment she was very good.

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They didn't even bother retiring to their tents that night. The weather was still comfortably warm, and they were happy sleeping under the stars. The four would come to think on that night as one of the best they ever had.

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Even though none of them even bothered to get up untill the sun was well over the horizon and the hea tof the day was already decending, they managed to be packed and ready to go with plently of a time to get home. Good thing for them that Kiba knew several shortcuts that cut the travel time back home in half. Wereas it had taken Neji and the others almost twenty hours to get there, Kiba managed to get them home in less than twelve. Neji was somewhat pissed, to say the least. Well, pissed is a little to weak a word. Livid is better. "You mean to tell me, "He forced out through clentched teeth, "That I had to endure Sakura and Ino for twenty horrific hours when we could have made the journey in less than twelve?!?!" Kiba fought back the sarcastic comment that force it's way to the front of his mind, prefering to continue living. He calmly explained that there was no way to explain the shortcut in a way that any sane person would understand. Tenten took the forced calmness in Kiba's voice as a sign to drag Neji home before he plastered Kiba all over the sidewalk.

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Naruto didn't even bother going home that night. He decided, much to Kiba delight, to just crash with him.

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They decided to take a walk through town the next morning. Naruto was craving Ichiraku's, and Kiba was itching to get out and walk around. He hated the long drive to the beach, but it always ended up being worth it. About half way to Ichiraku's, they ran into Kakashi and Iruka. Naruto's face lit up as he called to Iruka. "Iruka-sensei!!!" Iruka turned around and smiled, "Hey Naruto! I didn't know you were comming back so soon." Naruto ran up to Iruka and Kakashi, Kiba close behind. "Yeah, we hadn't planned on getting back so soon either. When the surf died we figured it was time to come home." He noticed the look on Kakashi's face just as he finished his sentence. "What are you looking at my like that for Kakashi-sensei?" Said silver-haired pervert took a step closer to Naruto and said, "I hear from Asuma that Ino's been telling some intresting tales about you Naruto. Not just her either. Sakura had some interesting tales too." All color drained from Naruo and Kiba's face. "T-t-tales-s? Wha-what-what K-k-kind of t-tales?" Kakashi smiled under his mask, "Ohhhh just this and that." Kakashi turned and said to Iruka, "Come on 'Ru, were going to be late meeting Genma and Asuma." Naruto was left dumbfounded. Kiba stepped up next to him. "Did that just happen?" Naruto blinked and his jaw dropped as he watched Kakashi take Iruka's hand. "Looks like we have nothing to worry about..." muttered Kiba as he watched them walk off. He turned to Naruto, "Did you have any idea..." he trailed off at the sight on Naruto's face. "_I'll take that as a no..." _he mussed silently. He grabbed Naruto's shoulder's gently and led him off to Ichiraku's, knowing the blonde desprately needed the distraction.

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Belly's now contently full, the pair took a stroll aorund the village. They ignored the occasional stares that were aimed at them, and both silently swore to kill Ino and Sakura when they next met. "Can't those girls keep their damn mouth's hut..." muttered Naruto. "Guess not," said Kiba as he spotted Lee. "There's lee, let's go see if he knows anything about this." Naruto nodded and jogged up to Lee. "Hey Lee," he said. "Hello Naruto, Kiba," greeted Lee. "I thought you had planned to stay a few more days." Naruto smiled, "We had, but there was a change in plans." Lee nodded, "I guess you have realized that Sakura and Ino have been talking." Kiba smiled, "Kida hard to miss when your sensei come up and tels ya." Lee smiled, "Yes, Guy-sensei was quite curious when he heard Kakashi-sensei talking about it. I think he was still in a bit of shock over hearing of Kakashi and Iruka's budding romance." Naruto blanched slightly at the reminder. Lee blinked at the reaction, "You did not know Naruto?" The blonde shook his head, "Naw, I didn't know untill this morning. I'm still in shock over the Asuma Genma thing." Lee's eyebrows shot up, "Asuma and Genma?? Where did you hear about that?" Naruto smiled, "From Kakashi." Kiba laughed, "I swear, if we had know we were going to come back to find everyone was hooking up we might have come back sooner." Lee sighed, "I still do not understand what all the fuss is about. If you're happy together than you should be togehter. Why the villager's frown upon the union's is beyond me." Naruto sighed, "Not everyone is as open to the world as you are Lee. Some people can't deal with the idea of some people being together. It really is sad when you think about it." Lee nodded in agreement. "Well," he said as he glanced at his watch, "i must be going. I have a training session with Guy-sensei. I will see you two later." He walked off. Kiba turned to Naruto, "Want to find Ino and Sakura and kill them?" Naruto smiled, "You read my mind. Last one ther is a rotten egg!" he yelled as he darted off, laughing hysterically. Kiba smiled, "_Love ya too Naru-kun..."_

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And it's finally the End.

AN: A final few notes. I can't think of any songs to go with this chapter, so there aren't any to entertain ya'll. Sorry about that. I'm actually happy to finally be finishing this. I realized just recently that I really am better suited for much shorter fics. I never thought that i'd be writing this bugger for the better part of the spring and on into the summer. I know I could have done better, essecially with the chapter in the middle, but overall I'm happy with how it turned out It still amazes me that people actually think I'm a half decent writer and I just want to thank everyone out there that's a fan of my work. And a special thank you to all ya'll who write those wonderful reviews. I don't think I would have ever finished this without your support. So to all my fans out there a final and very appriciative "Thank You!!!"


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